Accounts of St. Anne's stories from student fieldwork collection assignments

Legend
"St. Anni s Retreat"
Natalie Hamson
Logan, Utah
April, 1984
Natalie is twenty-one years old. She has lived in the Cache Valley all her life.
She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was Natalie
Boehme before marrying Dale Hamson in 1979. She's been married four years and has a
daughter that is two years old.
Dale and Natalie were at our home watching television when Natalie first told my
husband and me this story. Natalie said that she had been a sophombre at Sky View High
School when she first heard it. After I heard the story I was really interested in the
retreat, but not totally convinced the story was true. Since that time I have heard many
other Cache Valley residents say that St. Anne's was haunted. Most of the people that
could tell me anything about St. Anne's had lived in the Cache Valley many years or all
their lives. St. Anne's is a Catholic Retreat that is located up Logan Canyon.
The story that Natalie told me was that a male friend of hers and a bunch of other
guys went up to St. Anne's one night to see if it really was haunted. They took with them
loaded shotguns, rifles, and pistols. They were exploring around the place and saw
some dogs. The dogs were Doberman Pinchers and when they saw the group of men,they be­,
an barking at them. ~he dogs started chasing the men ready to attact~ The men
started firing at the dogs with their guns, but the dogs wouldn't drop. The dogs· chased
the men back to their truck. The men jumped in and left St. Anne's Retreat.
Natalie told me that she knew other people who refuse to go to Sto Anne's because
of the stories they have heard about it. Shei;aY's ·there"are other's'tories of visitors
seeing St. Anne walking along a cliff with a lantern for a light, then just vanishing.
Natalie also told me that she would like to visit St. Anne's some time, but not at night.
She said that last summer there was some kind of a Catholic childrens overnight meeting
at the retreat, and that you wouldn't catch her up there overnight because she believes
the stories she has heard.
Marion Dart
Logan, Utah
Pasco, WA
Utah &tate University
Intro. to Folklore
Spring, 1984
Urban Legend
"Disappearing Babies"
Informant Datal
Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
January 21, 1987
Betty Warner was born c;n January 31 1963, in Logan Utah. She
grew up in a near by town called Smithfield. She now resides in 10gan
and is attending USU. She is an active member of the LDS church
and is working as a Nurses Aid at Sunshine Terrace Rest Home.
Contextual Datal
This story was heard during a childcare class at Sky View High School.
We were all working on quiet books and to pass the time we were telling
stories of things that had happened to us or our friends.
****************************
I once heard of some kids from HIyum that went up to the old
Catholic Nunnery in Logan Canyon. There was three boys and three
girls. It was really late at night when they went, the guys had wanted
to really scare their girlfriends. They got out. of their car, walked
down the path towards the Nunnery. Along the way was a couple of ponds,
When they walked past the ponds little hands reached up.·and grabbed
all of them around the ankles. They were all so scared that they took
off running back to the' car. Some of the guys started asking around
as to why this happened. An old Pr ist that lives here in the valley
told them that when there were people from the church living there,
some of the Nuns became pregnant. by the Priests. The Nuns would carry
the baby to full termJand then to save the Church from embarrassment,
they would drown their babies in the ponds. When strangers enter
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the property and walk by the ponds the babi~s spirits will grab at
them, they try and pull themsel~ out of the water to keep from drowning.
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Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
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Urban Legend
"The Old Nun"
Informant Datal
$IVI'/
Betty Wa..-rner
Logan, Utah
January21, 1987
Betty Warner was born on January 31,1963, in Logan Utah. She
grew up in Smithfield, Utah. She now resides in Logan and is attending
USU. She is an active member of the LDS church and is working at
The Sunshine Terrac, Rest Home.
Contestual Datal
This story was heard while my child care class in high school
was working on their quiet books. For entertainment we would pass
time by telling stories.
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I once heard of some girls that went to girls scout camp up
Logan cany:on, a few years ago. There was about 12 girls plus a few
leaders. The girls were between the ages of tweleve and fifteen.
They were 6i tUng around the campfire telling ecarey stories, one of which
was the "Old Nun" story. This story is about an old nun that died
very angry that she had lost her youth and beauty. She had resided at
the nunnery, also in Logan canyon. Before she died, the nun would
walk past the girls scout camp and long for the days of her youth.
She became so obsessed by this idea that she decided . by drinking
the youths blood she would again be young. Well, the kids of the camp
tried to laugh off their fear not wanting to admit to apy.one that they
really were scared. The group broke up after the story telling finished
and went their seperate ways. The leaders of the camp became increasingly
concerned as the girls began to disappear one by one. They called
and hunted for the missing girls not getting any response at all.
A couple of girls from the camp had gone on a walk together. Suddenly
they came running back into the camp screaming and shaking terribly.
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page 2 The Old Nun
The girls reported seeing an old lady dressed as a nun, with an
ax and blood dripping from her face walking near the camp. The next day
when the sun came up six of the tweleve girls were found murdered around
camp •
Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
History 124
Winter Quarter 1987
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Urban Legend
"St. Anne's Retreat"
Informant Data:
Unknown
1976
High School friends from Sky View High School, Smithfield,
Utah.
Contextual Information:
Myself and some friends from Sky View High School were dragging
Main Street in Logan. We decided to drive up Logan Canyon because
someone had heard that there was a pla'ce up there that was haunted.
All teenagers are interested in haunted houses or buildings.
*******************************
While driving up the canyon, someone told the story about
how a nun had become pregnant while staying at St. Anne's Retreat
for nuns. When the other nuns found out about what had happened, they
told the unfortunate young girl that she could no longer be a nun.
The young girl was distraught.
That night the girl took an ax and killed everyone. When
she was done she drowned herself in the swimming pool.
Her ghost is thought to still be wandering the area, haunting
St. Anne's Retreat forever.
Scott Lambert
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
English 124
Winter Qtr. 1987
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Urban Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Jalyn Rinderknecht
Logan, Utah
January 21, 1987
Jalyn Rinderknecht was born January 16,1968 in Logan, Utah. She is a
member of the L.D.S Q1urch and is partly an active member. She attends
Utah State University and is majoring in Pre-veterinary Science. Her
hobbies include horseback riding, skiing, fishing, hunting, camping,
animals and rodeo.
Contextual Data:
On our way up to the Nunnery in Logan Canyon everyone was telling
stories about what had happened when they went up last. This story was
one told.
One night a couple of my friends and I came up here to check the
Nunnery out. We psyched ourselves out so bad that we were a little
scared when we got there.
Walking toward the Nunnery we heard dogs barking from the distance
and a scream. It had been said that this nun used to kill the first
son of the family and little babies.
We heard another scream and decided we'd better get out of there, so
we ran back to our car but when we tried to start it we couldn't get it
to turn over. Feeling really scared, we took off down the canyon and
came back the next day to get the car. When we got there it started
like a charm.
Jalyn Rinderknecht
Logan, Utah
Utah Sta~e University
Winter Quarter 1986-87
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Folk Story
Nunery up Logan Canyon
Informant Data:
Martin Mendenhall
Logan, Utah
April 22, 1984
I don't know where Martin was born, but he has lived a good part of his
life in Cache Valley. He is going to school at Utah State University majoring
in Food Science, he is presently a Junior. He comes from a religious background
and is a mormon. He married my best friend, and they have now been married for
1 year. Me and my boyfriend used to double date with them quite often . He is
the second child of 4. His hobbies include, snow and water skiing, and all out­door
activities and sports
Contextual Data:
This story was told to me on another double date with Martin . This was
told on one particular night after visiting the nunery up Logan Canyon . It
had been quite a frightful evening.
Text:
This story starts like this . . .• ....
A long time ago, there was a building called3 a convent where nuns lived. For many
years it was a very holy place, and only practices of good were taken place.
The nun's were forbidden to see any men and were to stay virgins. Things began
to get out of hand and the nun's began sleeping around, after which a few
became pregnant. If they were ever found out it would become a disgrace to that
individual. Therefore they began giving themselves abortions. In the convent
there was a swimming pool that had been emptied of all its water . This is where
they would bury the aborted babies. The problem finaly got out of hand and
they closed it down. But, because of the evil that went on there it is now
haunted with all kinds of spirits, and you can hear them to this day if you dare
to visit.
Michelle Sampson
Nibley, UT 84321
Utah State University
English 124
Spring Quarter 1984
April 22, 1984
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Diane Stenquist
Logan , Utah
Fe buary 1985
Legend
The old Nunery
Informant data:
Diane Stenquist was born in Tremonton, Utah. She is of
Swedish decent. She is now attending Utah State University
where she is a senior in bussiness. She is a member
of the Mormon church.
Contextual data:
Text:
Diane and I were on our way skiing one day, up at
Beaver Moutain and as we passed this area she told
me this story.
She says she heard this story alot while she was growing
up, the big kids always told the little kids this
story to scare them.
There is an old nunery up Logan Oayon. Years and
years ago the nuns were sent up here who got prenant
by the priests so no one eles would find out about
thier indiscreations. There was a main house were
everone would meet and there were also four smaller
house were they would sleep. And there was also a
big swimming pool. And as soon as the babies are
born the babies were to be drowned in the pool.
Now this is an old and deserted, but if you go
there at night you can still here the babies cry. ;
Natalie Harman
Utah Stste University
Folklore
Spring 1985
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Ghost story
St. Anne's Retreat
Larry Cantwell
Smithfield, Utah
Approx. 1979
Larry Cantwell is the speech teacher at Sky View High Schoo1. He loves
stories, and one of his hobbies is to go around the Valley to different
groups and share his talent. He does a marvelous imitation of Mark Twain.
He tells great ghost stories, and has many humorous readings. He is active
in the L.D.S. Church, and communtiy affairs.
One day in Speech, we turned the lights off and got out a candle and
lit it, and told ghost stories. Mr. Cantwell told us this version of St.
Anne's Retreat.
St. Anne's Retreat was originally established up Logan Canyon for
Cache Valley's Catholic nuns who needed to "get away" from things for awhile.
One nun got herself in trouble and as time passed her problem became
more noticeable. He superiors knew that something needed to be done-- she
couldnlt walk the streets in her condition, so she was sent to St. Anne's
for the duration-. 6f" · her:~ pr~gnam::::y.
The Mother Superior at St. Anne's talked this nun into putting up the
baby for adoption when it was born, because she thought this sort of thing
was horrible. If the nun would agree to do as the Mother Superior said,
the Mother Superior would help her. If not, then she could fend for herself.
Well, as time went by and this nun spent her time reading, thinking,
swimming in the pool, and walking around the retreat and in the nearby woods,
she began to think of this child and knew she could never give it up. She
decided to leave the order and raise her baby.
When the baby was born she told her decision to the Mother Superior.
The Mother Superior did not agree and felt that she had to end this situation.
One day when this nun was sleeping, the Mother Superior took the baby and
drowned him in the swimming pool.
The nun took it very hard, but couldn't believe the Mother Superior
would actually do this. She thought the Mother Superior had taken the baby
and given him to a family, or was hiding him on the retreat somewhere.
As she was recovering, she would take walks around the retreat to see
if she could find her baby. As she walked by the pool one day, the Mother
Superior pushed her in and she drowned. The Mother Superior thought she
had rectified the problem, and now could live with herself after taking care
of this nun.
About three weeks later another nun was sent to St. Anne's to rest and
re~ax for a couple weeks. One day as she was walking past the swimming pool
she saw a nun floating face down in the pool. She screamed, and the Mother
Superior came to see what the problem was. The Mother Superior tried to grab
at the nun in the pool, but the nun disappeared.
The second nun wanted to know what had happened, but the Mother Superior
would not say anything. The second nun called the Father and told him to come
up to St. Anne's because there was something wrong.
the Father came and got to the bottom of what had happened and soon after,
the Mother Superior was taken from St. Anne's. Shortly after this happened,
the Catholic church sold St. Anne's Retreat.
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St. Anne I s is still used as a get away place for various groups and there
have been reports that the one nun is still looking for her baby. Some have
seen her walking around the retreat, and some have seen her floating in
the pool. While there are no reports of anyone talking to this nun, there
are plenty of reports of people who have seen her, so as you go camping
in this part of Logan Canyon, beware of the nun.
Alenda Jolley
Providence, Utah
Utah State University
English 124
Winter 1984
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Ghost story
St. Anne's Retreat
Alenda Jolley
Logan Canyon
approx. 1976
Alenda was born in Logan in 1963. She lived ~n Logan for a couple years,
then moved South of Logan to Providence where she has lived for fourteen years.
She is active in the L.D.S. Church, and community affairs. She loves the
outdoors and has spent many hours in io9an Canyon hunting, fishing, camping,
and enjoying nature.
When I was ~n mutual, my ward took all the youth leaderships up to
St. Aime' s Retreat for a leadership meeting. We spent two days and one night
at the retreat. Just before dark the leaders took us on a hike to a meadow
overlooking St. Anne's. There was a cave on the cliff above us. In this
setting one of the leaders told us this story.
St. Anne's Retreat is the place where all the Catholic Nuns came for
a little rest and relaxation. There was cabins, the beauty and recreation
facilities of the canyon, and a swimming pool. All the Nuns loved this place.
On the cliff to the East of St. Anne's is a cave where a hermit lived.
This hermit hated people and he hated nuns worst of all. He devised d
plan where if he killed off a few nuns at a time, no more WDuld come up to
the retreat because they would be too scared.
This hermit came down to St. Anne's on a particularly dark night and
caught a nun unaware as she was going from the lodge to her cabin. He
dragged her to the swimming pool and drowned her.
This happened about three more times before higher officials got word
of what was happening. A search was made for the hermit, but he COUldn't
be found.
The Catholic church got spooked and sold St. Anne's so there WOUldn't
be anymore nuns in Logan Canyon.
There were reports of two or three other people killed in the same
manor while using St. Anne's.
The hermit was never found, and it is said that he still haunts St.
Anne's and neghboring campgrounds, so be careful when staying in this part
of the canyon.
Alenda Jolley
Providence, Utah
utah State University
English 124
Winter 1984
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Horror Story
Saint Ann's Retreat
Informant Data:
Mary Leisa Pp.ters en
Hyrum, Utah
February, 1979
Mary Leisa Petersen, 20, grew up in Hyrum, Utah, a small Mormon town.
She is of Danish and Swedish decent. She is the first child of a Mor­mon
family, and she is a active member of the Mormon Church. Presently,
she is a Lambda Delta Sigma Chapter president. A junior at Utah State
University majoring in Elementary Education.
Background:
Terry Hansen of Logan told Mary Leisa this story to entertain her (or
to scare her, she didn't know which it was) in 1976 while on a ride
through the Logan Canyon one night.
After Mary Leisa told this story to me she said," It's a good scarey
story but I sure don't believe it."
I have tried to record it as closely to the way she told me as possible.
Text:
During the past summers Nuns lived in this old house in Logan Canyon.
But before it was a Nunnery it was haunted. And before it was haunted
a very wealthy man and his wife bought it and fixed it up and lived
in it.
The winters were really harsh so the man always took his wife in their
horse and buggy to town to shop.
Many years passed and her husband died. The towns people wanted her to
move into town but she wouldn't. So at first the towns people took
turns on a irregular schedule bringing her into shop. After awhile
nobody s topp ed by to bring her into town and she was more or less for­gotten
about. Then one day the towns people started wondering about
her, so a couple of men went out to check on her. They found the doors
open and the house dusty and filled ~vith cobwebs, but she was nowhere
to be found. ' Outside · th~ house they found some tiriy footprints, but not
her, so they boarded up the house.
Years passed and the house also was forgotten. Then one day late in
the fall, during the first snowfall, two hunters ran across it while
looking for a place to camp the night. They unboarded the house and
entered. Then one of the hunters went outside to get some fire wood
while the other hunter stayed in and cleaned the fireplace out so
they could build a fire. As the hunter outside was chopping wood he
heard a very loud, horrid screem from the house. He quickly ran to
the house and as he entered the only one there was his hunting part­ner
die on the floor with a clever in his back. He ran out and as
he did he heard someone in the bushes crying. He looked down ._and there
jn the snow. he saw 'some tiny footprints. Without looking any further
he ran frantically to the highway for help.
Bonnie Vance
Logan, Utah
Mapleton, Utah
Winter, 1979
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Supernatural Legend
"Saint Ann's Retreat"
Informant Data:
Maria Nielsen
Hyrum, Utah
July, 1984
Maria Nielsen, 21, lives in Hyrum, Utah. She was born February
21, 1963, in Logan, Utah. She is a Senior at Utah State Univeristy,
majoring in Elementary Education. She is an active member of the
Mormon church. She is married to Clayton Nielsen.
Contextual Data:
I can not member who told this story to me. The story was told
to me just before I visited Saint Ann's Retreat. I remember it was
a very dark night and I was with my boy friend and three other
couples. I'm a scardy cat anyway and after I heard this story I
was scared to death to go into Saint Anns. I don't really believe
the story is true but it scared me just the same. I could imagine
some crazy man jumping out of the bushes with a big knife and killing
all of us. I decided if there was one place a mad man would hang
out to kill somebody it would be at Saint Ann,s. One thing waB sure,
I was not going to stay in the car by my self, so I went with the
others to explore this place. Nothing happened to us, but I was sure
glad when we finally pulled away from that place in our car.
Saint Ann's is about fifteen minutes up Logan Canyon.
* * * * * * * *
A long time ago there used to be a nunnery at Saint Ann's.
One of the nuns got pregnant by a young priest. She hid the fact
that she was pregnamt for a long time. When she had the baby she was
told she had to leave the nunnery. She was grieved at what had happened
and went out and drowned her baby in the swimming pool, thp.n hung
herself. Her spirit haunts the place in the form of a dog. Sometimes
people can hear dogs howling at Saint Ann's. Nobody has ever seen
the dogs.
Maria Nielsen
Hyrum. Utah
Same
Utah State Unlverity
English 124
Summer 1984
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Supernatural Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Jimmy west
Nibley, Utah
April, 1988
Jimmy west is a High school senior who enjoys anything
that has a challenge to it. He hung around the guys the night
they went to the nunnery, but no longer associates with them.
He loves the outdoors and hates school. He works for the Bishop
in the ward and comes from a gigantic family as he put it.
Contextual Data:
I told Jimmy I WaS doing this for my folklore class and I
asked him if he could remember the story as if he were there that
day. We were sitting outside on the front porch steps as he
related the story.
Text:
Last summer we did travel up to the nunnery to find out if
you looked in this mirror you would see the ghost, supposedly
green. I didn't travel inside so I never found out anything, but
the guys who did go in came running back to the car screaming,
"Let's go!" "It's behind us!" The car wouldn't start at all,
everyone was screaming and panicking, then all of a sudden it
started. The whole thing was weird. As were driving away we
felt a bump on the back of the car. The next morning I went over
to see what it was and a big long black mark was on the car.
Sherry Anderson
Nibley, Utah 84321
USU
Folklore
Spring 1988
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Supernatural Legend
"The Nunnery"
Informant Data:
Clint Yonk
Nibley, Utah
April, 1988
Clint Yonk was a classmate in High School. We both
graduated in 1987 from Mountain Crest High. He workd for Bourns
during the afternoons. He enjoys going to late night shows.
He's from an active LOS family, and he loves the outdoors.
Contextual Data:
We were sitting in a movie theatre going to watch the Mid­night
movie. I asked Clint to tell me the story about when he and
a few others went up to the nunnery. I had heard the story
before in a Sunday School Class after it happened. I was just
interested in if it had changed any since then.
Text:
A couple of friends told me this story. They went up to the
nunnery located in Logan Canyon during the summer last year. It's
said that if you go into the surrounding area, a ghost will chase
you out. A whole group went up to find out if this was true or
not. Two of the guys were the only ones that had decided to go.
They were running back to the car and the car wouldn't start up
than all of a sudden it started. Everyone was screaming, "Let's
go!" As they were driving away they felt a bump on the back of
the car. The next morning there was a big long scratch that
looked like something had been dragging on to the car. They
swore to never do that again.
Sherry Anderson
Nibley, Utah 84321
USU
Folklore
Spring 1988
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Local Legend
"Killer Nuns"
Informant Data:
Sally Drollinger
Richmond, Ut
April 3, 1988
Sally Drollinger is twenty-four years old. She was
born in California but moved to Richmond when she was small.
There she attended grade school through high school. She
is single and lives with three of the good friends she grew
up with. Sally came from a family of eight children. When
they were young, their father would tell them stories. From
this experience, Sally learned to love listening to and
telling stories.
Contextual Information:
Sally heard this story when she was in junior high.
She and her friends were at a slumber party where ghost
stories were being told. This was her favorite scary story
about the nunnery in Logan canyon.
Text:
There was this nunnery up Logan canyon. Nuns use to go
there for religious schooling. Then it was closed because
of not enough money to keep it in shape. So, the nuns were
divided up among other convents. There was this one convent
that wasn't too far away. Somehow the nuns that went there
were getting pregnant. These nuns were sent back to the L
Logan nunnery to have their babies. After they had them,
the nuns would throw them into the swimming pool to kill
them. Now when you go up there at night you can hear the
babies crying out.
Valerie Drollinger
Logan, Ut
Spartanburg, SC
Utah State
History 124
Spring 1988
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Local Legend
"Cry of Babies"
Informant Data:
George May
Richmond, Ut
April 5, 1988
George May is twenty-three years old. She was born and
raised in Richmond, Ut. She received all of her schooling
there. She is single and lives with Sally and two other
girls she grew up with. She has two younger sisters, one of
which still loves to sit around and tell ghost stories at
night.
Contextual Information:
George is the girl at the slumber party Sally went to
who told the story about the nunnery in Logan. She learned
about the nunnery when she and some of her friends wanted to
go camping over night in the canyon. Her father told this
story to her.
Text:
Up Logan canyon there was this nunnery. Everyone knew
it wasn't a normal nunnery because the nuns that went there
were pregnant. Yet, when they left, the nuns didn't have a
baby with them. There were all kinds of speculation about
what happened to the babies. Most of the people figured
that the nuns threw their babies over the cliffs because
they could hear the cries of the babies as they were falling
You can still hear them if you go up there at night.
Valerie Drollinger
Logan, Ut
Spartanburg, SC
Utah State Univ.
History 124
Spring 1988
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Local Legend
"Dead Babies"
Informant Data:
Gordon May
Richmond, Ut
April 7, 1988
Gordon May is fifty years old. He was born in Smith­field
and moved to Richmond after he was married. He has
been married for twenty-five years and has three daughters.
Gordon works at USU in the engineering dept. He enjoys his
work and is a good mechanic.
Contextual Information:
Gordon May heard this story about the nunnery from a
man he worked with. One day everyone was talking about
things that Logan was kind od historical for and this came
up. He told this story to his daughter to scare her from
going camping instead of saying "NO" again.
Text:
There's this nunnery up Logan canyon. It was a kind of
hideout for pregnant nuns. They would stay there until they
had their babies. After these babies were born, the nuns
would take them and kill them. They did this by throwing
them over the cliffs or down in hidden tunnels. These babes
still cry out at night and their spirits seek revenge on
anyone that goes to the nunnery.
Valerie Drollinger
Logan, UT
Spartanburg, SC
Utah State Univ.
History 124
Spring 1988
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Legend
Saint Ann"s Retreat
InfDFrnant:
Date of Bi r-th:
Place Gf Bir-t.ti~
Ethni c Ances t t-:l i
Education:
Occupation:
Hubbies:
Church Membership:
CiHlt-Cf. Activity:
i1ark LeBar-on
08/05/68
Logarl; Utah
Logan J' tJ"Lah
4/-12/-1987
European(German. Swedish. French, English)
Public high school education
Student (Utah State university)
Music. Sports & Athletics
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Very Active
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The following legend is one of those stories that one often
hears, but can't remember from whom or where he heard it first.
I do know that there are several versions of this story.
below is the one I have hear tne most. The story concerns an old
local nunnet-y Dr retreat for catholic nuns known as Saint
complex is now used for youth summer camps
Ann*s
and
*****************************************************************
to the stOFy I heard. a young nun named Hekida,
who is residing in the retreat. becomes pregnant (nobody ever
says by who). Hekida is hated by the other nuns because of the
shame she has brought upon her office. When the child is born,
Hekida throws the child off a cliff and kills herself in the same
irIan}l!? t- ~
dirlnlft
Hekida had tnese pet hounds and the nuns
-= ___ t'
know what to do with them so they chopped dff the LV::/"
The story also says that there is a crude cross marking
the child"s grave and that the spirits of Hekida and her
haunt the grounds between midnight and one o' ciock a.m.
dogs
t1ar-k LeBat-on
Hist -124
,i/. /. /.t . / .v~
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GENRE: LEGEND
TITLE: ST. ANN'S RETREAT
Jamie Smi th
Kamas, Utah 84036
CONTEXT:
Jamie Smith
Logan, Utah
4-22-87
We were sitting around telling ghost stories. Jamie told us
about something that happened to her friends up Logan canyon. It
was at a place called St. Ann's Retreat. The following story is
written in the manner in which it was told.
STORY:
The legend says that one of the nuns who lived there became
pregnant. Well, the other nuns let her have the baby but made her
drown it once it was born. As a result of the baby been drowned,
the mother went batty and killed herself. After all of this
stuff happened, they closed the nunnery but her ghost still
remains.
This happened to some friends of mine, James
These guys went up up there to set up this deal.
to take these girls and get them scared. So they
all these rocks so when someone tripped the wire,
and Roger.
They were going
went up and set
all of these
rocks would come flying down. They went into the convent and set
things up in it.
Later that night, they brought the girls up. Someone tripped
on the wire but instead of little rocks falling, a big huge
boulder came rolling down. Well, this really scared them so they
decided to go check things in the convent. They went into the
convent and the door slammed behind them and locked. They had to
bust the boards off of a window to get out of there. After all of
this happened, they just picked up and left.
The next day, after everything had happened up a St. Ann's,
they decided to go back in daylight. The rope that had been set
up was cut and all the little rocks had been moved aside. They
couldn't see how the boulder was moved: it hadn't been there the
day before. All they know is that boulder rolled down at them.
Well one night, they were going to take us up there. One of the
guys swore he would never go up there again. He is all buff about
it--a jock you know-- but it scared him shitless.
MY NAME:
Debbie Jenkins
S.L.C. Utah 84121
Utah State University
/ (
( History 124
Spring 1987
(
Legend
Saint Anne's Retreat
Informant Data:
Kris Harris
Logan Utah
October 1981
Kris Harris,21, was born in Logan Utah, but moved to Newport Beach
California when she was seventeen. Her religious background is Mormon,
but she is not a practicing Mormon. Kris is single and attends Orange
Coast College where she is studying commercial art. At the time she
told me this legend, she was really into sppoky stories, and loved to
tell them at parties and social gatherings. Kris has a talent for telling
stories or jokes at the best possible times.
Contextual Data:
When Kris told me this legend, we were up the canyon drinking beers with
about 5 other people. There were no boys with us because once a week it
would be the "girls iiight out." As we were drinking, we started telling
scary stories or scary experiences we had or had heard. When it was
Kris's turn to tell a story, she asked if any of us had heard about Saint
Anne. None 0tlhad heard the legend, so she said she would drive us to
the place where the legend actually happened. We went to a Eatholic
retreat about 3 miles up Logan canyon. There is a swimming pool in the
back and ~ris made us sit on the diving board while she told her story.
We were pretty scared by now, since it was dark out and the old buildings
were really creepy. Kris told us that her Aunt's friend wen to the Retreat
1 year after Saint Anne, and Catholic priests had to
there were evil spirits there. Kris's mom told her tnt;...--±-c~
wouldn't go up there to drink and mess around.
After she told us the legend, we were so scared that we coul~~move
off:.the diving board. Finally we ran back to the car and locked all the
doors and drove back to Logan. I have never been up there again, and
I doubt any of the others have either.
Item:
About 3 miles up Logan Canyon there is an old, abandoned Catholic Nunnery
which locals call Saint Anne's Retreat. Saint Anne was a nun living at the
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Retreat for the summer, when she mysteriously became pregnant. She didn't
tell anyone she was pregnant, but one of the sisters found out and asked
Saint Anne how she became pregnant. Since Saint Anne was a virgin, the
other sister assumed it was a child of the devil, and God was punishing
Saint Anne by making her pregnant. The other sister sooned moved to another
Retreat, leaving Saint Anne and her secret pregnancy unknown. One night
in August, Saint Anne had her baby, She took it and wrapped it in sheets and
threw it into the swimming pool. When the other sisters found the baby, it
was dead and Saint Anne was gone. Now, if you go to the ~etreat in August,
you can hear a baby crying. If you call for Saint Anne(usually three times)
she will come down from the mountains looking for her child. Sometimes
you can see her looking around the swimming pool, a ghostly shape wearing
a habit, calling for her poor little child.
Meridith Sorensen
Logan, Ut 84321
Logan, Ut 84321
Utah State University
History 124
Spring 1987
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Supernatural Local Legend
"Wi tch Heckata"
-\
I nforment Date:
Myself
Logan, Utah
Winter 1990
I have llved in Logan, Utah most of my 11fe. I attended Logan High
School. I am a freshman at USU.
Contextual Information:
I heard this Legend in a class while attending High school. I was
in a psychology class; we were studying a unit on parapsychology.
Students were telling stories that they had heard from friends, relatives,
and from scouting camps that deal with the supernatural.
Text:
Near Saint Anne's retreat up in Logan Canyon there is a small
canyon. It is sai d if you go to thi s canyon around mi dni ght, wi th the moon
full in the night sky, and you call the name Heckata three times she will
appear. She is to come in a hooded black robe that whips in the wind. She
comes toward you 1 aug hi ng. She floats above the ground. I n her hands she
hold the hounds of hell. They are two large black dogs with eyes that glow
red w1th the flames of hell. She is angry at those who enter her canyon
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and di sturb her rest. She chases those who enter her canyon away.
Nathan N1 ederhauser
Logan, Utah
USU
Engli sh/Hi story 124
Winter 1990
lONf
,e.£./.12./. tV<f'
( Legend
Statue at St. Anne's Retreat
Informant Data:
Nancy Lloyd
Young Ward, Ut.
Nov. 2 , 1988
Nancy Lloyd was born in Logan, Utah and has lived here all her life except
two years in Idaho and 18 mont~in Ecuador, + a year in Provo at school.
She is a senior at U. S. U. majoring in English.
Context Data:
This story was usually told to her in situations like slumber parties,
walking home from late mutual activities and at girls camp .
Item:
At St. Anne's Retreat for nuns, in Logan Canyon, there is a very strange
statue. If touched at the right moment, 12:00 midnight, it will be warm,
as if it were alive.
Matthew Lloyd, 18
Young Ward, Ut. 84339
Utah State University
English 124
Fall 1988
(
Local Legend
"Heckada"
Informant Data:
Rex Womack
Nibley, Utah
July 1980
Rex Womack is three years older than myself He lived in my LDS ward while I was growing up.
He was really a cool dude. He would hang out with us younger boys and bring us up to date on
what's hot and what's not. He was somebody that we all looked up to. He always had something
to say.
Contextual Data:
( We were at a camp out for our scout group and Rex was one of the junior leaders. We were up
Logan Canyon camping at the Girl Scout Camp up Right Hand Fork. We were in the little cabin
in our sleeping bags, just talking. Everyone was trying to scare each other with stories. Rex
succeeded.
Text:
About 40-50 years ago the winter came really early. So early that the deer hunt in October had 2-
3 feet of snow. Back during the 1930's, hunting deer was very popular because of the meat.
People would kill a deer and store the meat for use in the winter months. This one man went out
to get his winter meat for his family. He headed up towards Spring Hollow by Third Dam up
Logan Canyon. He went up early in the morning as most hunters do. He was expected back
around 3:00 or 4:00 at the latest. He was known to be a great hunter and always shot a deer early
and was home by 3 :00 p.m. On this snowy hunting day he didn't make it home. His wife went up
to look for him that night but no body was found. She went back into Logan to get help, but
nobody would go out in the blizzard. She refused to leave her mate up in the snowy mountains so
she went home and got her dogs. She took them up the canyon with her to Spring Hollow and
was never seen again, nor was her husband. If you go to third dam and look up into Spring
Hollow on a full moon and yell Heckada, Heckada, Heckada, you will hear her dogs barking, still
in search for her lost husband.
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Rod Leishman
Logan, Utah
USU
History 124
Summer 1995

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

Legend
"St. Anni s Retreat"
Natalie Hamson
Logan, Utah
April, 1984
Natalie is twenty-one years old. She has lived in the Cache Valley all her life.
She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was Natalie
Boehme before marrying Dale Hamson in 1979. She's been married four years and has a
daughter that is two years old.
Dale and Natalie were at our home watching television when Natalie first told my
husband and me this story. Natalie said that she had been a sophombre at Sky View High
School when she first heard it. After I heard the story I was really interested in the
retreat, but not totally convinced the story was true. Since that time I have heard many
other Cache Valley residents say that St. Anne's was haunted. Most of the people that
could tell me anything about St. Anne's had lived in the Cache Valley many years or all
their lives. St. Anne's is a Catholic Retreat that is located up Logan Canyon.
The story that Natalie told me was that a male friend of hers and a bunch of other
guys went up to St. Anne's one night to see if it really was haunted. They took with them
loaded shotguns, rifles, and pistols. They were exploring around the place and saw
some dogs. The dogs were Doberman Pinchers and when they saw the group of men,they be­,
an barking at them. ~he dogs started chasing the men ready to attact~ The men
started firing at the dogs with their guns, but the dogs wouldn't drop. The dogs· chased
the men back to their truck. The men jumped in and left St. Anne's Retreat.
Natalie told me that she knew other people who refuse to go to Sto Anne's because
of the stories they have heard about it. Shei;aY's ·there"are other's'tories of visitors
seeing St. Anne walking along a cliff with a lantern for a light, then just vanishing.
Natalie also told me that she would like to visit St. Anne's some time, but not at night.
She said that last summer there was some kind of a Catholic childrens overnight meeting
at the retreat, and that you wouldn't catch her up there overnight because she believes
the stories she has heard.
Marion Dart
Logan, Utah
Pasco, WA
Utah &tate University
Intro. to Folklore
Spring, 1984
Urban Legend
"Disappearing Babies"
Informant Datal
Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
January 21, 1987
Betty Warner was born c;n January 31 1963, in Logan Utah. She
grew up in a near by town called Smithfield. She now resides in 10gan
and is attending USU. She is an active member of the LDS church
and is working as a Nurses Aid at Sunshine Terrace Rest Home.
Contextual Datal
This story was heard during a childcare class at Sky View High School.
We were all working on quiet books and to pass the time we were telling
stories of things that had happened to us or our friends.
****************************
I once heard of some kids from HIyum that went up to the old
Catholic Nunnery in Logan Canyon. There was three boys and three
girls. It was really late at night when they went, the guys had wanted
to really scare their girlfriends. They got out. of their car, walked
down the path towards the Nunnery. Along the way was a couple of ponds,
When they walked past the ponds little hands reached up.·and grabbed
all of them around the ankles. They were all so scared that they took
off running back to the' car. Some of the guys started asking around
as to why this happened. An old Pr ist that lives here in the valley
told them that when there were people from the church living there,
some of the Nuns became pregnant. by the Priests. The Nuns would carry
the baby to full termJand then to save the Church from embarrassment,
they would drown their babies in the ponds. When strangers enter
\
the property and walk by the ponds the babi~s spirits will grab at
them, they try and pull themsel~ out of the water to keep from drowning.
L ~ , I. I ~. I. I 7
Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
~rgt~~sa~tt~4i987
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Urban Legend
"The Old Nun"
Informant Datal
$IVI'/
Betty Wa..-rner
Logan, Utah
January21, 1987
Betty Warner was born on January 31,1963, in Logan Utah. She
grew up in Smithfield, Utah. She now resides in Logan and is attending
USU. She is an active member of the LDS church and is working at
The Sunshine Terrac, Rest Home.
Contestual Datal
This story was heard while my child care class in high school
was working on their quiet books. For entertainment we would pass
time by telling stories.
************************
I once heard of some girls that went to girls scout camp up
Logan cany:on, a few years ago. There was about 12 girls plus a few
leaders. The girls were between the ages of tweleve and fifteen.
They were 6i tUng around the campfire telling ecarey stories, one of which
was the "Old Nun" story. This story is about an old nun that died
very angry that she had lost her youth and beauty. She had resided at
the nunnery, also in Logan canyon. Before she died, the nun would
walk past the girls scout camp and long for the days of her youth.
She became so obsessed by this idea that she decided . by drinking
the youths blood she would again be young. Well, the kids of the camp
tried to laugh off their fear not wanting to admit to apy.one that they
really were scared. The group broke up after the story telling finished
and went their seperate ways. The leaders of the camp became increasingly
concerned as the girls began to disappear one by one. They called
and hunted for the missing girls not getting any response at all.
A couple of girls from the camp had gone on a walk together. Suddenly
they came running back into the camp screaming and shaking terribly.
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page 2 The Old Nun
The girls reported seeing an old lady dressed as a nun, with an
ax and blood dripping from her face walking near the camp. The next day
when the sun came up six of the tweleve girls were found murdered around
camp •
Betty Warner
Logan, Utah
Utah State University
History 124
Winter Quarter 1987
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Ghost story
St. Anne's Retreat
Larry Cantwell
Smithfield, Utah
Approx. 1979
Larry Cantwell is the speech teacher at Sky View High Schoo1. He loves
stories, and one of his hobbies is to go around the Valley to different
groups and share his talent. He does a marvelous imitation of Mark Twain.
He tells great ghost stories, and has many humorous readings. He is active
in the L.D.S. Church, and communtiy affairs.
One day in Speech, we turned the lights off and got out a candle and
lit it, and told ghost stories. Mr. Cantwell told us this version of St.
Anne's Retreat.
St. Anne's Retreat was originally established up Logan Canyon for
Cache Valley's Catholic nuns who needed to "get away" from things for awhile.
One nun got herself in trouble and as time passed her problem became
more noticeable. He superiors knew that something needed to be done-- she
couldnlt walk the streets in her condition, so she was sent to St. Anne's
for the duration-. 6f" · her:~ pr~gnam::::y.
The Mother Superior at St. Anne's talked this nun into putting up the
baby for adoption when it was born, because she thought this sort of thing
was horrible. If the nun would agree to do as the Mother Superior said,
the Mother Superior would help her. If not, then she could fend for herself.
Well, as time went by and this nun spent her time reading, thinking,
swimming in the pool, and walking around the retreat and in the nearby woods,
she began to think of this child and knew she could never give it up. She
decided to leave the order and raise her baby.
When the baby was born she told her decision to the Mother Superior.
The Mother Superior did not agree and felt that she had to end this situation.
One day when this nun was sleeping, the Mother Superior took the baby and
drowned him in the swimming pool.
The nun took it very hard, but couldn't believe the Mother Superior
would actually do this. She thought the Mother Superior had taken the baby
and given him to a family, or was hiding him on the retreat somewhere.
As she was recovering, she would take walks around the retreat to see
if she could find her baby. As she walked by the pool one day, the Mother
Superior pushed her in and she drowned. The Mother Superior thought she
had rectified the problem, and now could live with herself after taking care
of this nun.
About three weeks later another nun was sent to St. Anne's to rest and
re~ax for a couple weeks. One day as she was walking past the swimming pool
she saw a nun floating face down in the pool. She screamed, and the Mother
Superior came to see what the problem was. The Mother Superior tried to grab
at the nun in the pool, but the nun disappeared.
The second nun wanted to know what had happened, but the Mother Superior
would not say anything. The second nun called the Father and told him to come
up to St. Anne's because there was something wrong.
the Father came and got to the bottom of what had happened and soon after,
the Mother Superior was taken from St. Anne's. Shortly after this happened,
the Catholic church sold St. Anne's Retreat.
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St. Anne I s is still used as a get away place for various groups and there
have been reports that the one nun is still looking for her baby. Some have
seen her walking around the retreat, and some have seen her floating in
the pool. While there are no reports of anyone talking to this nun, there
are plenty of reports of people who have seen her, so as you go camping
in this part of Logan Canyon, beware of the nun.
Alenda Jolley
Providence, Utah
Utah State University
English 124
Winter 1984
2
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Ghost story
St. Anne's Retreat
Alenda Jolley
Logan Canyon
approx. 1976
Alenda was born in Logan in 1963. She lived ~n Logan for a couple years,
then moved South of Logan to Providence where she has lived for fourteen years.
She is active in the L.D.S. Church, and community affairs. She loves the
outdoors and has spent many hours in io9an Canyon hunting, fishing, camping,
and enjoying nature.
When I was ~n mutual, my ward took all the youth leaderships up to
St. Aime' s Retreat for a leadership meeting. We spent two days and one night
at the retreat. Just before dark the leaders took us on a hike to a meadow
overlooking St. Anne's. There was a cave on the cliff above us. In this
setting one of the leaders told us this story.
St. Anne's Retreat is the place where all the Catholic Nuns came for
a little rest and relaxation. There was cabins, the beauty and recreation
facilities of the canyon, and a swimming pool. All the Nuns loved this place.
On the cliff to the East of St. Anne's is a cave where a hermit lived.
This hermit hated people and he hated nuns worst of all. He devised d
plan where if he killed off a few nuns at a time, no more WDuld come up to
the retreat because they would be too scared.
This hermit came down to St. Anne's on a particularly dark night and
caught a nun unaware as she was going from the lodge to her cabin. He
dragged her to the swimming pool and drowned her.
This happened about three more times before higher officials got word
of what was happening. A search was made for the hermit, but he COUldn't
be found.
The Catholic church got spooked and sold St. Anne's so there WOUldn't
be anymore nuns in Logan Canyon.
There were reports of two or three other people killed in the same
manor while using St. Anne's.
The hermit was never found, and it is said that he still haunts St.
Anne's and neghboring campgrounds, so be careful when staying in this part
of the canyon.
Alenda Jolley
Providence, Utah
utah State University
English 124
Winter 1984
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